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Author
Topic: One year down and now high cholesterol.... (Read 3315 times)

Well it was my one year anniversary this past week. It was a pretty challenging year but made it through. The rollercoaster of emotions that I went through were definitly the most challenging. I think I have somewhat made it through all of that and things seem to be going good.

I had my latest labs and things are holding steady. Only issue now is my Cholesterol is on the high side. I know that the Atripla does not help with that but my diet hasn't helped either. I put on about 80 pounds since starting meds last November. Now I needed to put some back on but should have stopped about 20-30 pounds ago

My doc wants to look at this again in 3 months and in the meantime wants me to concentrate on my dieat which I had already started doing anyway. If things dont improve he wants to put me on medication for the cholesterol. I did bring up possibly getting off the Atripla too but he would prefer not to switch but did not rule it out either. Basically left it as that we will look at it agian in 3 months and go from there. Here are my Cholestrol numbers:

"Many people, especially in the gay community, turn to oral sex as a safer alternative in the age of AIDS. And with HIV rates rising, people need to remember that oral sex is safer sex. It's a reasonable alternative."

I had a similar experience. I already had a history of high cholesterol. My first doctor was was not great. Which is a different discussion all together. But when I decided it was time to go on meds, I switched doctors. I was first put on Atripla, which turned out to be a nightmare for me. I knew there would be side effects and initially gave myself 2 weeks to get used to taking it. But I barely lasted that long. I barely got any sleep cause my nightmares we so bad and it made me so edgy. On top of that my cholesterol shot up to over 200. My doctor then switched me to Isentress and Truvada which didn't help my cholesterol, which shot up as high as over 300. My doctor added fenofibrate and lipitor as well as 2000 mg of fish oil per day. My last labs showed my cholesterol at 187, VL undetectable and CD4 at 700.

Yes, cholesterol issues can appear from Atripla, but everyone should keep in mind that the OP also gained 80 pounds in 11 months. That's a LOT, and even if they were not HIV+ and on Atripla it may have effected their cholesterol readings. My larger point is if the weight issue hadn't occurred it would be more clear that the cause was the medication.

On Atripla here also with high triglycerides...I don't have the weight gain issue...But for the triglycerides - doc put me on Lopid (twice a day); I also lowered the amount of white and yellow rice I eat; I don't eat white bread very often (except on hamburgers, when I have them) - I eat wheat bread; I quit eating fried foods; and I eat a little bit more vegetables....

It has got it down to where it should be (that is, at least, when I take the lopid the way I am supposed to)

A little background on the weight gain - I had lost quite a bit of weight last year from being sick - I'm 6'3 and my normal weight is around 190-200 and had got down to about 145-150. Once I started to feel better and regained my appettite I kind of ate what I wanted. My diet definitly has been part of the problem. I have altered my diet quite and bit and that should help. Unfortunatly this was the first lipid panel they did so really have nothing to compare it to.

I'm definitly not ready to blame it on the meds and do not necessarily want to switch to anything else. The Atripla has been pretty good to me - I did go through some sleep issues, crazy dreams and anxiety. I did smoke pot heavily and that blew my anxiety through the roof. Quit the pot, except for the occasional weekend use, and that made a world of difference for me.

Seems like quite a few people take the fish oil so I will definitly add that to the mix.

Your cholesterol isn't THAT bad -- although the HDL is a bit low. I think trying diet changes (and maybe some additional exercise) could help and is a great first step -- especially seeing as you have nothing to compare it against.

I was on cholesterol med for YEARS before becoming positive. I switched from Zocor to Lipitor upon starting Atripla and my chol levels have been very good. My HDL even went up after starting my HAART -- from the 30's to high 50's/low 60's.

My point is -- don't rush to anything drastic -- you have time to try diet/exercise, your chol. levels aren't all that high.

Hey Steve, this might sound odd under the circumstances, but happy anniversary! While it's a bummer to be poz, it's great that you got diagnosed in what was probably the nick of time (before you got really sick). So yeah, happy anniversary.

I don't know much about cholesterol issues (yet), but it sounds like you're committed to a better diet, so hopefully you'll see an improvement. As Mike mentioned, getting regular exercise will also help.

I noticed you changed your avatar to Steal Your Face. It's about time you came out as a Dead Head! There are at least two of us around beside you - Jody is another and you make three. I used to work for a tye-dye outfit in upstate NY in the late 80s and early 90s that started out as two guys following the Dead around and making/selling tie-dyes to pay their way. When I worked for them, at one point we had over 20 employees and a silk-screen department as well. Good times! Our "smoke breaks" were awesome.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Thanks again for all the comments/advice. Dealing with all these things are pretty new to me.

Ann - Thanks! It is a bummer to be poz but I think I have moved on from that From where I was and where I am now things couldn't be much better.

Well I am glad there are some more Dead Heads on this page! I have been on the fringe over the past year and just reading and learning and listening to people. It is nice to be out of the closet so to speak Not sure where I would be without my music!

I have had a similar experience as you have had. After I started meds (Atripla) I immediately gained quite a bit of weight. Probably 15-20 pounds in just 2-3 months or so (which is quite a bit for me). My eating habits had not changed an I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, I attributed it to the Atripla and to regaining some measure of health.

My cholesterol levels increased, very similarly to yours. In fact my last total cholesterol was about 213 if I remember correctly.

Long discussion with the doctor about it. Long story short, yes Atripla causes increases in weight and cholesterol. But in the end of the day, so what? What's the alternative? Solution, eat better, exercise more, lose weight, try harder. It's a bitch.

Bug - agree. As I was struggling to regain a basic level of health I wasnt worried to much and just let it get out of countrol - Stress, anxiety and everything with being newly diagnosed didnt help either I suppose.

Bottom line, HIV or not, if you eat unhealthy and dont exercise health issues are bound to arise.

I even saw this coming and didnt slow the train down. I remember reading older posts warning against it....oh well, live and learn. One more day I find myself alive.....

MilburnCreek

I've been on Atripla for over 4 years now. 4 months ago my doc was concerned that my 'bad' cholestoral and trigylcerides were too high, and my 'good' cholestoral was too low. I was also a good 40 pounds overweight.

I attacked it ALL through diet (I had no time for exercise, and no money for supplements or vitamins). I changed my diest to about 80% vegetables (almost always sautéed in Olive oil), with fish, or, sometime skinless chicken breasts every day.

NO fried food. NO Oils other than Olive oil and natural oils in fish. NO red meat (except a tiny bit maybe once a month). NO JUNK food.

Had my 4 month check up, and lab tests were eye-popping: total cholestoral under 100, bad cholestoral and trigylcerides were halved, and good cholestoral went from 21 to 49. Go for a good diet, religiously!